Hay-rack.



E. 1. WELLS.

HAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 1914.

1 1 6 1 ,56 1 Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

WWWMMWM;

ELMER J. WELLS, F NASHUA, IOWA.

- HAY-BACK.

Specification cf Letters Patent.

Patented aw. eaters.

Application filedMarch 4, 1914. Serial No. 822,428.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER J. VVELLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashua, in the county of Chickasaw and State of Iowa, have invented a newand useful Hay-Rack, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hay racks and more particularly to means whereby a rack can be quickly and securely attached to the sills thereunder, without requiring the use of bolts or like fastening means.

A further object is to provide improved means wherebythe sills and the stringer of the frame or bed employed for supporting the rack can be held securely together, the ends of the front stringer being provided with rubbing irons whereby injury to said stringer by the front wheels of the hay rack is prevented.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention. has been shown.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front end portion of a hay rack mounted upon a bed or supporting frame and held thereto by means of the structure constituting the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line AB Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the gripping blocks used in connection with the structure.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the sills of a frame or bed, and extending under these sills are a suitable number of stringers 2. In the present instance only one of these stringers has been shown, this being the front stringer. The said stringer has U-shaped rub irons 3 mounted upon its ends, the sills 1 bearing downwardly on ,the rub irons and each rub iron being adapted to receive the terminals of a U-shaped bolt 1 which straddles the sill. In order that the bolts 4 may be prevented from slipping along the sills, a gripping block 5 is provided for each bolt.

This block is channeled longitudinally along its bottom, as shown at 6, so as to form parallel edges 7 for biting into the sill 1. Recesses 8 are formed in the ends of the upper face of the block and-constitute seats for the bend of the bolt 4.

The rack can be of anydesired construction, it *being preferably made up of cross beams 9 and longitudinal slats or boards 10. In the drawings only one cross beam has been shown. lit is to be understood that these cross beams are preferably so shaped as to project down between the sills l, as shown at 11 and to bear downwardly on and project laterally beyond the sills. Secured to the front or outer face of the beam 9 at the center thereof is an angular base plate 12 preferably extended under the beam 9 as shown and secured to the said base plate is an angular bracket 13. A pivot stud 14: is secured within this bracket and also within the base plate 12 and has a spacing washer 15 bearing against the plate 12. Interposed between the spacing washer and the bracket 13 is a cam lever 16 the arm 17 of which is limited in its movement by the inturned portion 18 of the bracket 13. EX- tending into the cam 16 is the inturned end 19 of a coupling rod 20, said inturned end being held to the cam by means of a cotter pin 21 or, if preferred, the terminal of said inturned end can be upset or headed. The coupling rod is made up of two sections connected by a turn buckle 22, the lower section being provided with an inturned end 23 having an upwardly extending terminal or lug 2r adapted to be seated within a recess 25 formed in the center of the bottom of stringer 2.

When it is desired to attach the'rack to the bed made up of sills 1 and stringers 2, the said rack is placed in position and lever 17 is turned about its pivot so as to lower the coupling rod 20. The inturned end 23 is then placed under stringer 2 so that the stud 24 will enter recess 25. Cam 16 is then swung about its pivot so that it will elevate rod 20 and cause the said rod to draw the rack tightly onto the sills 1. By means of the turn buckle 22 the coupling rod can be adjusted to any length desired. It is to be understood that a coupling such as herein described is to be placed at each end of the rack.

Although an ordinary hay rack has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that other forms of racks can be placed upon the bed and secured thereto by means of the particular form of clamp described.

What is claimed is Thevcombin ation with a bed and a rack detachably mounted thereon, of an angular base plate secured to the rack, an angular bracket secured upon said plate, a stud secured within thebracket and plate, a spacing washer upon the stud and bearing against the plate, a cam lever interposed between the spacing device and the bracket and mounted on the stud, the movement of the arm of said lever being limited by the inturned portion of the bracket, a coupling rod having an inturned end extending through the cam lever, a removable pin engaging the said end to hold the rod to the lever, said rod being made up of adjustably connected sections, the lower end of the rod being hooked for engaging the bottom of the bed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELMER J. WELLS.

Witnesses:

W. N. Gn'rsorr, C. R. DEXTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

